


Bedroom

by QueenPlatypus



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Childhood Memories, Curiosity, F/M, Family, Past, Teasing, Teenage Boy Bedroom, childhood home, discovering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:34:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27322051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenPlatypus/pseuds/QueenPlatypus
Summary: After driving Alan Ramsey back to Providence, Hailey gets a glimpse into Ethan's teenage world.
Relationships: Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart)
Kudos: 18





	Bedroom

“I was practicing C.P.R!”

By his side, both Hailey and his father snorted, clearly not believing him. Ethan was currently not in a good position. Of all the things his dad could have done, he never would have expected to invite her along with them to show them the pictures of him in his younger years. _Never._ Ethan was truly embarrassed: clearly, she’ll tease him forever now. Alan shook his head and looked up to his son again.

“Still telling yourself that after all these years?” He asks, with a grin.

Ethan sighs, bringing his hand up to slide it across his face.

“Of all the photos you could put up…”

“I’ve got some others…”

“No, I think we’re good here.” Ethan cuts him.

“Who’s ‘we’? I want to see them!”

“There’s no need for…”

“Ethan, Hailey is our guest. If we want to be good hosts, we have to help with her needs and wants.”

“I can’t believe this is happening…” He groans.

Hailey nudges him playfully, giggling because of this new-found shyness. But when he finally started to accept the idea she was going to see him growing up, his dad apparently had an even better idea.

“Actually… I can send those pictures to you another time. But since you’re already here… How about seeing the source material?”

Ethan frowns. The source material?

“Wait, you mean you still have that bear?” She asks, excitement in her voice.

“Indeed… In his bedroom.”

Ethan’s eyes widened. Oh _no._ This was _not_ happening. But before he could stop her, she was already jumping out of the couch, running for the stairs.

“Second door on your left!”

“Dad! Hailey, no!”

Ethan gets up as well and dashes after her. He can hear his dad’s laugh and he groans, already knowing he’ll need to have a good talk with him about what he can and cannot do when Hailey’s involved.

Unfortunately, he gets upstairs just in time to see the younger doctor swing the door open and rushing inside the room. At this point, he stops hurrying, now knowing there’s no more use to it. He sighs, starts walking and lingers by the doorframe to watch her look around.

His childhood’s bedroom had not changed at all since he left it to go to college. Same grayish-blue walls, same bedframe, same desk, same board… same everything. Ethan still didn’t understand why his father kept it this way while he could change the room’s purpose: after all, it’s not like he was using it anymore. Even when he visited and stayed the night, Ethan would now use the guestroom. Really, his dad keeping it and making sure the place was clean even though no one was using it was a mystery even he could not solve.

While being here, Ethan looked inside the bedroom as well. Now that he could stop to think about it, he realized he had not stepped in it since… _before_ he got his medical licence. Considering the fact he was a practicing diagnostician for 11 years now (if we included the three residency years), that was a heck of a long time ago. Yet… this detail didn’t faze him that much.

All of this previous life seemed distant, today. He could remember himself in his childhood and his teenage years very well. He could remember how he used to play with his toys, how he used to stay awake way later than he should have to read one more chapter of some books, how he came to be so serious, how he would study and try not to let his friends’ problems bother him… He could remember everything. And even if this version of himself did no longer apply today, he was still able to see why and how he became the man he currently is. Everything had a starting point.

“So… Your room is interesting.”

“That’s a way of putting it.” He says.

She turns to him, stepping in his direction before grabbing one of his hands and pulling him in. She quickly lets it go when he’s in the spot she wanted him in. She then proceeds to look at him, a satisfied grin on her face.

“Yeah, I can see you living in this room. At least… A few years back.”

“You didn’t even know me, back then.”

“I don’t need to. You might have changed as you grew up, but… Nothing is ever truly gone.”

“Okay, _Lavoisier._ What are you trying to say?”

She shrugs.

“Just that even though you’re not the same Ethan Ramsey anymore, you’re a product of him. You wouldn’t be who you are right now without him.”

She smiles, then turns around to continue her inspection. He decides to sit on what used to be his bed, watching her work. She stops in front of his library and takes out a few of his books, chuckling upon seeing most of them were on very serious matters already. He had a few fantasy novels as well, but the vast majority of the literature he possessed were classic stories.

“Wait… Frankenstein?”

He shrugs.

“I like Mary Shelley’s writing.”

“Huh-uh. I see…”

She turns away from the library, heading for the desk. Her touch lingers on the wood before she takes in her hand a pencil that she turns around for a few seconds before setting it back. She then slightly dusts off the lamp before looking up and seeing his task-managing board.

“Who’s that?”

Not seeing who she was pointing at, Ethan gets up to join her. Then, he nods, seeing a picture of him in high school alongside a girl.

“That’s Kayla. My first girlfriend.”

She turns her head towards him, a grin forming.

“Oooh. Now that’s a story I want to hear!”

“There’s nothing much to say, really. She pursued me, asked me out, I said yes, we dated, I broke up with her, the end. I don’t even know why I still have this picture here, to be honest.”

“Why did you break up?”

“I realized that she was probably more into me than I was into her to start with. Figured it wouldn’t be fair to her.”

Hailey nods, looking back at the picture.

“Well… She was pretty. But now, I’m wondering… Did you ever experience heartbreak?”

“Not in the rom-com kind of sense, if that’s what you’re implying. Around those years, I figured the proper dating game wasn’t really my thing. So… It became mostly a few hang-outs and sometimes more with another consenting adult, with boundaries drawn out clearly.”

“I see… In that case… Have you ever been in love?”

When he doesn’t respond, Hailey regrets it, thinking she might have pushed him too far. When she’s about to apologize, he turns his head, settling his gaze into hers, plunging into her eyes with his own.

“Yes.”

Not saying anything more, he starts heading to the door.

“Come on, we have to get back to the hospital, now.

She goes after him after making sure the blush that appeared faded. Before she heads for the door, she shakes Alan’s hand.

“Thank you for letting me into your home, Mr. Ramsey. It was very nice.”

“It was! You’re welcome here any time, by the way.”

“I might just take you up on that offer!” She says, grinning.

She heads outside. Ethan approaches his father.

“Take care of yourself, okay? I’ll come and see you soon.”

“You know… You could always use this time for something else… for _someone_ else.” He says, looking at his son meaningly.

“Dad… I think I can manage my own relationship with Hailey without your meddling.”

“Can you, though?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That saying yes to her question doesn’t mean you’ve actually told her you love her.”

“I… Wait, were you eavesdropping?”

“Is it still eavesdropping if it’s happening in my house? Not only that, I know you Ethan. You’ll never be able to fool me.”

He puts a comforting hand on his shoulder, squeezing it.

“Don’t make her wait too long. You’ve always been a smart boy, surely you can figure this one out, yes?”

Ethan nods, making his father let go of him.

“Can I just know one thing?”

“Of course.”

“Why is my room still the way it was? After all those years?”

To this, Alan grins.

“If it’s not broken… Why fix it?”

Hugging one last time, Ethan heads out, joining Hailey at his car and unlocking the doors. As they sat down and attached their seatbelts, Ethan seemed deep in thought.

“Everything alright?” She asked him.

He nods.

“I’m just thinking… Now, it’s my turn to learn more about your past. I have a few embarrassing photos to catch up on, I believe.”

To that, she laughs.

“Sure. Why not. I’ll just need to pass it by my parents, but we should be all good.”

He smiles slightly, turning his key. Driving away, he sets one hand on her thigh, gently squeezing it.”

“All good.” He repeats.


End file.
